Heart study ties race to death rates

Disease toll higher among black men

FELICE J. FREYER, Copyright 2001 The Providence Journal

Published 5:30 am, Wednesday, July 11, 2001

A man's likelihood of dying from heart disease varies dramatically depending on where he lives and which racial or ethnic group he belongs to, according to a new report detailing heart disease death rates in every county in the United States.

"A man's risk of dying of heart disease is powerfully influenced by where in this country he lives and the color of his skin," said Dr. George A. Mensah, chief of the CDC's cardiovascular health program.

The report, which tallied death-certificate data from 1991 through 1995, found that black men were 26 percent more likely than white men and almost twice as likely as Hispanic men to die of heart disease. Black men were also more likely to die young.

American Indians and Alaska natives, Asians and Pacific Islanders, and Hispanics have lower heart disease death rates than blacks or whites, according to the atlas, which was released Monday.

Elizabeth Barnett, director of the Office for Social Environment and Health Research at West Virginia University and the report's lead author, stressed that the racial and ethnic disparities do not reflect genetic differences but rather social inequalities.

Some communities offer more "opportunities for healthy living" -- such as parks and recreation facilities, stores and restaurants offering fresh produce and low-fat foods, and quality medical care, she said.

"Individuals subjected to stagnant or declining local economies, lack of economic opportunity, poverty and social isolation are susceptible to heart disease risk factors, such as mental depression, job stress and high blood pressure, as well as to adoption of disadvantageous behaviors, such as cigarette smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet," Barnett said.

Additionally, she said, people of color who endure racism and discrimination can develop heart disease from chronic stress.

The report is intended to help state and local agencies target their prevention efforts on those most in need.

While heart disease remains the top killer of both men and women, it is still much more prevalent among men. The geographic, racial and ethnic differences in death rates were similar for both men and women, however.